What the heck is going on at the prisons?
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Former Illinois prison warden Andrew Ott submitted an op-ed to several news outlets the other day about the problems within the Department of Corrections…
The current administrative policies and procedures of the Illinois Department of Corrections have allowed the street gangs/security threat groups to once again gain a hold in Illinois prisons.
After years of hard work by many devoted individuals in identifying and controlling street gang activities in the Illinois prison system, these proud staff have watched the last two years as their hard work went by the way side.
The current director and his policies of allowing this organizational activity to occur, without fear of Tamms placement or discipline, has allowed street gangs to organize and once again develop a communication network.
When confronted with fiscal budget contraints, the current director volunteered to shutter the super-max prison at Tamms. Many wondered why anyone with an extensive security background would suggest such a thing. While others thought it had always been on the director’s agenda and possibly had to do with his association with former Latin King gang members and their neighborhood improvement business, “the new Humboldt park saints,” major contributor and supporter of closing Tamms.
One must keep in mind and would have to question the events of staff being killed by gang members at Stateville Correctional Center during the director’s tenure there as assistant warden of operations. Another event during his tenure at Stateville was the disappearance of a Latin King that ended up in the meat loaf, his skull found some years later (this story can be researched).
Regardless, the outcome was the closing of the Tamms super-max and the deterrent was gone. The gang chiefs transferred to Pontiac Correctional Center now have access to Chicago street information through visits and also now have the capability to send messages throughout the other facilities across the state.
Ott has been texting and e-mailing me (and, I assume other reporters) for months about conditions at prisons. Sometimes, we’ve been getting almost real-time updates on prison violence. Several news outlets appear to have used his updates for stories about prison conditions. It’s been a fascinating experience.
But I’ve been wondering all along about what the real context was. Is violence spiking since Tamms was closed?
* So I asked the Department of Corrections for a response. Here it is…
This article is irresponsible and inaccurate. His unsupported allegations do a great disservice to the thousands of men and women who work hard to keep our facilities safe each and every day.
Per your request for numbers:
* Serious assaults on staff members and on inmates, system-wide, are lower this fiscal year than they were in FY12.
o Serious inmate on inmate assaults are down with 99 in FY13 compared to 171 in FY12 (July-Feb).
o Serious staff assaults have decreased with 75 in FY13 compared to 96 in FY12 (July-Feb).
* Additionally, assaults utilizing weapons has decreased this fiscal year.
In July-Feb of FY 12 there were 30 assaults in which weapons were used. This year 17 assaults have involved a weapon.
The department investigates every incident of assault and takes each case seriously. We do not downplay nor minimize any assault. In fact, the IDOC has engaged in a concerted effort to refer assaults to the local State’s Attorney’s office for prosecution. These actions serve to send a clear message to offenders and staff alike, that the IDOC takes assaults extremely seriously and will work with the State’s Attorney to prosecute those found guilty.
The article misleads readers and implies that there is a lack of disciplinary tools following the closure of Tamms. This is false. The department has a wide range of options (depending on the severity of the underlying offense) ranging from loss of commissary, visits or other privileges to administrative detention and segregation. Pontiac continues to serve as our long term segregation facility and the department will continue to place inmates in segregation if their behavior warrants such discipline.
The department’s investigations and intelligence division works diligently and takes full advantage of a wide range of measures to root out gang activity (inside and outside IDOC walls) before it happens. This unit utilizes informants, as well as routine cell and inmate searches, interviews, and other measures to prevent and control gang activity. The department balances the housing of gang members within the facilities and keeps gang leaders away from the general population. Inmate phone calls and mail are monitored and inmates are not permitted to correspond with inmates in other facilities. Inmates’ visitors are heavily screened by Investigations and Intel staff prior to approval and no known gang members are permitted to visit an offender.
IDOC’s investigations unit has expanded considerably in the near decade since Mr. Ott’s brief involvement. Since its inception, this unit has grown in size and expanded its mission from internal intelligence to a larger public safety presence. The unit has never deviated from its primary mission of focusing on issues within the Illinois Department of Corrections facilities.
The Department of Corrections is a far safer system than it was decades ago, and will continue to do all it can to increase safety and security while making efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Director Godinez has more than 40 years of correctional expertise and was unanimously confirmed by the senate two years ago. Corrections is a tough business. A lot of hard choices need to be made and it takes someone with the experience and knowledge to make the tough decisions when necessary.
The safety of the public and the security of our facilities continues to be our top priority.
Discuss.
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IL loses 17,800 jobs in one month
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Illinois Department of Employment Security…
The March unemployment rate was 9.5 percent, unchanged from February, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). As expected, Illinois recorded -17,800 fewer jobs compared to February even as it added +36,600 over March 2012. The data is seasonally adjusted.
“Illinois employers were expected to report fewer positions in March. Economic uncertainty nationally and abroad dampened our country’s job growth. When that happens, Illinois’ share tends to be a negative number,” IDES Director Jay Rowell said. “Monthly snapshots capture a moment in time. When those moments are evaluated together, we see progress away from a global recession and through a stubborn economic growth cycle marked by volatile swings in monthly data here and across our country.”
The three-month moving average of job growth, a data point that smoothes monthly volatility and unpredictable or one time events, shows +1,100 jobs added each month so far this year.
Illinois has added +218,500 private sector jobs since January 2010 when job growth returned following nearly two years of consecutive monthly declines. Leading growth sectors are Professional and Business Services (+89,300); Education and Health Services (+57,800); and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+37,000). Government has lost the most jobs since January 2010, down -26,500.
Oy…
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Please, calm down
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Illinois Family Institute was pretty darned angry about the passage yesterday of medical marijuana, but they were even angrier about another bill that passed the House today. From an action alert…
The Illinois House of Representatives passed the disastrous “Comprehensive”Sex Education (HB 2675) this afternoon by a vote of 66–52. This bill would mandate that public school who teach sex education teach “comprehensive” sex education in grades 6-12. That may sound reasonable until you read what the national go-to organization for sex-ed curriculum, SEICUS, lists as “age-appropriate.”
Illinois law currently mandates that schools teach abstinence until marriage. Teaching “comprehensive” sex education is currently optional as a local school decision. This bill was sponsored by State Representative Camille Lilly (D-Chicago) and heavily promoted by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Illinois.
Click HERE to see how your state representative voted on this anti-family legislation. It is important to note that State Representatives David Reis (R-Olney), Tom Morrison (R-Palatine), Pam Roth (R-Morris), and Dwight Kay(R-Edwardsville) raised strong objections to the bill during floor debate.
HB 2675 is completely unnecessary and an intrusion into local control. Public schools in Illinois already have the ability to teach “comprehensive” sex education if they wish. Local public school administrators do not need a mandate from Springfield telling them they must teach comprehensive sex education when the preponderance of evidence suggests, and the U.S. Congress agrees, that authentic abstinence education is successful. […]
Contraception-centered sex-education curricula encourage children and youth into early sexual experimentation. They mislead youth and create a false hope that condoms will provide sufficient protection from the physical, emotional and social consequences of early sexual activity. Authentic abstinence education programs provide youth with life and character skills, not condom skills. Sexual activity among youth is far too costly for adolescents, families, society and taxpayers.
Passing HB 2675 would mandate the teaching of curricula that most parents and taxpayers would find objectionable. Please take a moment to contact your state senator to urge him/her to stand in opposition to this bill.
* Rep. Morrison, mentioned above, repeatedly asked whether the bill was an initiative of Planned Parenthood (his questions begin at the one hour, 47-minute mark of this video). He was told it was an initiative of several groups.
Morrison said he was curious why Planned Parenthood would be a supporter of the bill. He noted that the group is a “major abortion provider in this state and in this country.” And then he said…
It’s not a stretch to realize that young people as they engage in more sexual activity are going to be in situations where they’re going to be pregnant, where they’re going to turn to an abortion provider liked Planned Parenthood
So, Planned Parenthood wants comprehensive sex ed because they want the cash for providing the resulting abortions?
Sigh.
* Rep. Dwight Kay asked (starting at about the two hour 15-minute mark) the sponsor why she didn’t introduce a bill dealing with drugs in schools. “We ought to be teaching about how to avoid drug addiction,” Kay said. “I’m wondering about why we’re not talking about that?” The sponsor, Rep. Lilly, said she really appreciated Kay’s” passion,” and said she’d be glad to consider such a bill if Kay ever introduced one. Rep. Kay has not introduced such a bill this year, according to the ILGA website.
Sigh again.
* Here’s what is really going on with the bill…
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Camille Lilly (D-Chicago), emphasizes “that abstinence from sexual intercourse is a responsible and positive decision and is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against unwanted teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and [AIDS] when transmitted sexually.”
Despite Republican concerns that the measure goes too far in taking local control away from schools and that some children may be too young to be taught sex education, the bill passed by a 66-52 margin and now moves to the Senate. […]
Lilly said local school districts would determine their own curricula using guidelines set by the Illinois State Board of Education that are “developmentally and age-appropriate, medically accurate and complete.” She said sixth graders, for instance, could learn to identify reproductive parts, while students couldn’t learn about contraceptives until high school.
“We do not want sex education to be taught to children at an inappropriate age,” Lilly said. “This legislation brings standards to what is going to be taught and approved by each of the individual educational boards.”
Lilly’s bill would also allow parents to remove their children from the class for any reason with a written objection.
“The school and the school officials approve every curriculum here in their particular school system,” Lilly said. “And also the parents have the ability to opt out of whatever was approved by the school officials.”
* From the bill’s synopsis…
Makes changes to provide that each class or course in comprehensive sex education offered in any of grades 6 through 12 shall include instruction on both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Makes changes to provide that all classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse in grades 6 through 12 shall emphasize that abstinence from sexual intercourse is a responsible and positive decision and is the only protection that is 100% effective against unwanted teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) when transmitted sexually. Makes changes to provide that all classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse in grades 6 through 12 shall satisfy specified criteria. Provides that an opportunity shall be afforded to individuals (not just parents or guardians) to examine the instructional materials to be used in the class or course. Provides that the State Board of Education shall make available resource materials. Provides that school districts that do not currently provide sex education are not required to teach sex education. Provides that if a sex education class or course is offered in any of grades 6 through 12, the school district may choose and adapt the developmentally and age-appropriate, medically accurate, evidence-based, and complete sex education curriculum that meets the specific needs of its community. Provides that the Comprehensive Health Education Program shall include the educational area of evidence-based and medically accurate information regarding sexual abstinence (instead of the area of sexual abstinence until marriage). [Emphasis added.]
It’s not a mandate, so public schools which don’t currently teach sex ed don’t have to. Parents can opt out (that’s in the underlying statute), which is a very good thing. Abstinence is part of the curriculum. Private schools are not included. Citizens, not just parents, can examine the instructional materials. And, by the way, the statute hasn’t been updated in almost thirty years.
* There is always good reason to have a healthy skepticism of any and all legislation debated by the General Assembly. This bill is no different. At all. In any way.
But a healthy skepticism doesn’t include bizarre conspiracy theories, red herrings and false statements.
* The roll call is here.
House Republican Leader Tom Cross and GOP Rep. Kay Hatcher both voted “Yes.”
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* Illinois Review…
Fundraising calls raising money to support “a conservative candidate to replace U.S. Senator Mark Kirk” are being made in the name of the Illinois State Senate Republican Campaign Committee. One such call was made to a member of the Illinois Review staff Tuesday evening.
When the tele-fundraiser, who was clearly in a call center, was asked to confirm the purpose of the call, she reminded the IR staffer that Senator Kirk had, unfortunately, suffered a stroke and would not be running for re-election. She then added that U.S. Senator Dick Durbin was also up for re-election - in 2014 - and any contribution would also be going to fund his Republican opponent.
Our person then asked for the website address of the organization for which she was calling. He was given www.ilsenategop.com, which is the Illinois Senate Republican Campaign Committee site. […]
We contacted the Illinois State Senate Republican Campaign Committee about the call. They were surprised, concluding that it is likely a hoax. Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno is looking into it.
Has anybody out there received this call?
*** UPDATE *** I’m hearing this was, indeed, the state Senate GOP’s phone bank, but that it may have been a “rogue caller.” Sheesh.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the RSSCC…
Yesterday we were made aware of an inappropriate phone solicitation allegedly made on behalf of the Republican State Senate Campaign Committee.
We have since learned the call did originate in an RSSCC vendor call center. It was clearly a misrepresentation of RSSCC and its mission and will not be tolerated.
The vendor assures us it was an isolated incident by an inexperienced employee who is no longer with the company.
We have suspended all solicitation calls while we further evaluate our relationship with the vendor.
Roxanne Owens
Finance Director
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Let’s play “Rate the Ad”
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s radio ad which attempts to poach Illinois businesses [fixed link]…
Script for the $42K buy…
This is Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and I have a word of advice for employers frustrated by Illinois’ short-sighted approach to business: You need to get out while there’s still time.
The escape route leads straight to Texas, where limited government, low taxes and a pro-business environment are creating more jobs than any other state.
I’ll be in Chicago next week to talk about opportunities in Texas, where we’re always open for business.
Visit texaswideopenforbusiness.com. It may be time for your company to hit the emergency exit.
Thoughts?
* Greg Hinz talked to Gov. Perry…
In a phone interview late yesterday, Mr. Perry, who ran an ad in this week’s issue of Crain’s titled “Get Out While There’s Still Time,” (below) insisted his message “isn’t about bashing Illinois” but rather is aimed at extending a hand to companies that could use one.
“This is about talking about policies that can help people make a good judgment, an informed decision about where to live,” said the governor, who will be here next Monday and Tuesday. But the fact is, “When you have the kind of tax and regulatory policies in place (that Illinois does) . . . you are enticing businesses to fail.”
Mr. Perry wouldn’t say which local companies he’ll be meeting with at the big biotech conference here next week, but argued many companies would benefit from Texas’ “light” tax burden, “fair and predictable” regulatory climate, “sweeping” tort reform and “accountable” public schools. […]
Mr. Quinn, in a separate phone interview, noted that two big biotech firms, Astellas Pharma and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., recently opened large North American headquarters in the Chicago area, and that the biotech meeting again will be held in Chicago in 2016. “I’m not sure they’ve ever met in Texas,” said Mr. Quinn.
Um, it’s not about bashing Illinois? Really? Was he not listening to his own voice when he made that ad?
* And even Pat Brady got into the act, defending his home state…
llinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady said he’d welcome Perry if he wanted to offer support to Republican gubernatorial candidates. But a recruiting trip, he can do without.
“I like Gov. Perry, he’s been a good leader for Texas, but I don’t think it’s productive for him to come in here and do this so publicly,” Brady said. “Stealing jobs from Illinois is not going to help.” […]
If Perry’s strategy is in part political, Brady said, it’s not a good one.
“I don’t think it’s a great way to impress Republican donors,” Brady said, adding that even a harsh critic of Illinois’ current leadership like himself wants the state to succeed. “We live, work and pay taxes here.”
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Looks like a sure bet
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hallelujah…
After years of rejecting plans to legalize medical marijuana, the House narrowly approved House Bill 1 on a 61-57 vote today. The measure now advances to the Senate. If it passes that chamber, Gov. Pat Quinn said he would be “open minded” but would not commit to signing the bill.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat, said stricter restrictions in the current measure helped to persuade some representatives who had not voted for legalization in the past. “This is not about getting high,” Lang said. The measure was designed to “better provide health care to people who desperately need this product,” he said. Lang told the House his priority was to assist patients in chronic pain. “I know every single one of you has compassion in your heart,” he said. “This is the day to show it.”
The measure would implement a four-year pilot program legalizing medical marijuana from 2014 through 2018. Patients at least 18 years old applying for a medical marijuana card through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) would have to prove they have one of 33 serious or chronic conditions specifically listed in the bill, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease or cancer. IDPH is authorized to add to the list in the future. Applicants must show they have an established relationship with their doctor who approves the use, and they would have to submit medical records for verification. Both patients and their caregivers, who must be 21 or older, would be subject to background checks. If a patient’s or caregiver’s card is revoked, he or she would not be allowed to reapply for a new one later. […]
Rep. David Harris, an Arlington Heights Republican, said he was satisfied the bill was regulated “from seed to sale” and voted for it. Several supporters during the floor debate cited people they knew who could have benefited from access to medical marijuana.
* Passage was never completely assured, so the debate mattered…
With her voice breaking, Rep. JoAnn Osmond, R-Antioch, told colleagues she opposed a similar measure in the past but changed her mind because of an ill friend and his wife who spent time at Osmond’s home while the man battled chronic pain tied to complications from cancer.
Osmond would not let him use marijuana in her house. Now, two years since his death, she said she wonders about her decision because he was in a daze from a painkiller prescription that “made him extremely sick, very sick.”
North Side Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy told colleagues the story of a brother-in-law who suffers from terminal cancer and “would not be with us if not for making use of cannabis.” Pain pills were “sucking the life out of him,” but now he and her sister can “enjoy what will be his last days,” she said.
“My sister and my brother-in-law, who I love dearly, are able to make the best of an absolutely horrific situation as a result of this product,” Cassidy said.
Rep. Deb Mell, D-Chicago, said she has taken medicine for pain since having a mastectomy in August and can relate to the suffering. “There’s a real panic that comes in because it’s like, ‘I can’t live with this pain, but I can’t keep taking these pills,’” she said.
Rep. Lang mostly kept his cool during the debate, and that was important because Lou can be off-putting at times.
* On to the Senate…
It’s unclear how it might fare when it gets to the state Senate. The narrow House vote shows how politically tricky the issue can be.
State Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat, said he’d favor the plan. But others appeared more hesitant and wanted time to review what the House did.
“It definitely needs to be regulated correctly,” said state Sen. Tom Cullerton, a Villa Park Democrat
Gov. Pat Quinn said he’s “open-minded on that. I think we’ll watch what the legislature does today.”.
The Senate has already passed a much less stringent med-mar bill, so passage should be much easier than in the House. Sen. Cullerton is a DuPage County freshman Democrat, so he is just watching his own back. However, polling shows this is overwhelmingly favored by Illinois voters. Lang said during debate that the proponents had polled several House districts and not one of them was under 60 percent in favor, including GOP districts.
* Quinn despises Rep. Lang and Sen. Link (lots of gaming expansion fights), but he will likely be for it in the end as well…
Quinn on Wednesday said the bill’s sponsor hasn’t reached out to him to build support on the measure.
The Democratic governor said he was recently visited by a veteran suffering from war founds who was helped by the medical use of marijuana. Quinn said he was “impressed by his heartfelt feeling” on the issue.
“I’m certainly open-minded to it,” he said.
* The roll call bounced around a lot…
* Related…
* Final roll call
* VIDEO: State Rep Mike Bost: Medical marijuana today, legalized marijuana next
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Huge setback for “may issue”
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A vote yesterday represented a gigantic defeat for gun control advocates…
The Illinois House on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected a strict concealed carry measure in a test vote on the contentious gun legislation.
The measure emerged in the form of an amendment modeled after a highly restrictive New York gun law that has survived a court challenge. It drew support from a number of gun control advocates but failed on a 76-31 roll call, with six lawmakers voting present.
The state’s regional differences were on full display as fellow Democrats who control the legislature argued for and against the proposal.
“More guns are not the answer to the city’s gun violence problem,” said Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a North Side Democrat who sponsored the amendment.
But Rep. Brandon Phelps, a Democrat from Harrisburg in southern Illinois, called on lawmakers to reject the Cassidy bill and throw support to a less-restrictive proposal he is pushing.
* More…
Phelps said he is working on revisions to his concealed-carry bill, including raising the fee to $100. He said Wednesday’s vote shows a “may issue” bill cannot pass in Illinois.
He’s probably right.
* Things got tense…
Tempers raged in the Illinois House Thursday as lawmakers debated a last-minute plan to have the state adopt “may issue” concealed carry permits.
“All of this nonsense and two-facedness from the other side of the aisle,” Democratic state Rep. Scott Drury declared after listening to Republicans argue against a plan to let the state and local police decide if someone should be allowed to carry a gun. “It’s nonsense.”
That touched off a torrent of yelling and screaming from Republicans, most notably state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, an adamant gun rights supporter.
To which Drury added “We don’t want someone like that carrying a concealed weapon.”
House Republicans then bellowed out a chorus of boos and catcalls.
The scene bordered on getting out of control. State Rep. Al Riley, D-Hazel Crest, who was moderating the floor debate, threatened to call in House doorkeepers to clear the chamber or restore order.
* I thought Rep. Al Riley did a pretty good job of making sure the argument didn’t spiral out of control. Video from our good friends at BlueRoomStream.com…
* And the proposal was seriously flawed…
However, gun-rights advocates argued that a “may issue” law would essentially mean no concealed carry for people living in some parts of Illinois, despite their Second Amendment rights. Rep. Jerry Costello II, D-Smithton, said that in New York, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of residents have concealed-carry permits. Many of those have been issued to celebrities and people of authority.
“We don’t need bureaucrats issuing these permits to their friends and such,” Costello said.
Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, a proponent of a “must issue” bill, said Cassidy’s amendment was opposed by the Illinois Sheriff’s Association and did not restrict the fees that could be imposed for a concealed-carry permit.
“These are unlimited fees. This could be $1,000 a permit,” he said.
* Also, Rep. Phelps’ bill may come up for a vote today. From ISRA…
URGENT ALERT – YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
ISRA-SUPPORTED HB 0997 COMING UP FOR A VOTE SOON
HB 0997, the ISRA supported version of Concealed Carry will be coming up for a vote at any time. It is urgently important that you take action immediately.
* More from Rep. Phelps…
He said he plans to call legislation for a floor vote tomorrow that is similar to House Bill 997, a concealed carry bill he introduced earlier this legislative session. “We’ve got to have something done,” he said, citing the June deadline a federal court gave lawmakers to pass concealed carry. If there is no law regulating carry when that deadline hits, the court could opt to allow what many are calling constitutional carry, which would let anyone with a Firearm Owners Identification Card carry a gun anywhere in the state. […]
Phelps said he has worked compromise into his legislation, which was being drafted late tonight. Under his previous proposal, the state police would issue concealed carry licenses, but sheriffs could contest applications. Phelps said he also plans to give that option to Chicago city police. Phelps said he also plans to increase the fee for licenses from the $25 fee in his first iteration of the plan to $100 and call for $30 from each license to go to a special fund dedicated to repairing the state’s troubled FOID card system and ensuring that county mental health records are reported to the state police. He said training requirements would also be increased from four hours in the original bill to 10 hours and would include a live ammunition test. “We’re offering a lot of things,” he said. “This version of what we’re going to try to run tomorrow is a combination of about four bills that we have had in the time that I have been here.”
Phelps said supporters of his plan believe it is a “last chance” to get a compromise before the deadline runs out. “I don’t know if there’s another chance to pass anything. I think that there’s a lot of people who are going to say, ‘Look, we tried. Let’s just go off the cliff. Let’s do constitutional carry.’” He said a lot of House members who have never voted in favor of a concealed-carry bill are afraid of that happening. “I’ve got a lot of people who are interested in voting for this that never have before because they don’t want constitutional carry.”
But gun control advocates cautioned not to read too much into today’s vote. They said they knew the support wasn’t there yet, but they think they can find backing for a bill that allows Chicago some local control. While lawmakers must get something done, they say, it isn’t crunch time yet.
* Related…
* Tempers flare during state House debate on concealed weapons bill
* VIDEO: Brandon Phelps wants to stop a may issue concealed carry plan
* VIDEO: Roll call
* Final House roll call
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* My pollster was resending a file to me this morning and wrote this in his email…
Sorry…lost power TWICE while trying to get this out. Building an ark…
Part of my back yard looks like a lake. Luckily, it’s the part away from my house. Oscar the puppy stays in the basement laundry room (it’s nicer than it may sound) when I’m not around, but I think I may move him upstairs in case we get a lengthy power outage and it floods. The power went out briefly yesterday, so I’m a little worried. Need to get a generator.
By popular demand, here’s a couple more pics of the little guy…
In answer to your questions, he’s five months old and is a Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier.
* Anyway, how is it by you?
*** UPDATE *** Gov. Pat Quinn has declared a state of emergency in response to the flooding…
Gov. Pat Quinn has issued an emergency declaration following the flooding and severe weather affecting areas across Illinois.
Quinn issued the declaration Thursday. The action will allow the state to access federal resources including generators, pump systems sandbags and additional funds. The declaration is a step below a disaster emergency declaration.
Quinn says the American Red Cross has opened two shelters in north central Illinois. One is in Oglesby and another in Roanoke.
Click here to check out a very, very long list of flooded state roads.
* DuPage County’s courthouse has shut down…
Severe flooding has closed the DuPage County courthouse in Wheaton, delaying the start of a triple-murder trial that was set to begin today.
State’s Attorney Bob Berlin said jurors slated to hear testimony in the high-profile Johnny Borizov case were notified of the delay early this morning. […]
Officials said flooded parking lots and roads on the county campus at Manchester and County Farm Roads made it nearly impossible for travelers to access the courthouse, as well as the health department and other government buildings there, which also were closed. […]
DuPage County has received 4 to 5 inches of rainfall since Wednesday, and 1 to 2 more inches were forecast for Thursday.
* Sinkholes…
A rainstorm pummeling the Chicago area ripped open a sinkhole Thursday that swallowed three cars, injuring one driver badly enough that he had to be hospitalized. Blasts of torrential rain and widespread flooding forced authorities to shut segments of major expressways, and hundreds of flights were scrapped.
Schools were closed, commuter trains slowed to a crawl and a local emergency agency to the north, in Lake County, drafted jail inmates to fill sandbags.
The gaping sinkhole opened up a residential street on Chicago’s South Side just before 5:30 a.m. after a cast iron water main dating back to 1915 broke during the massive storm. The hole spanned the entire width of the road and chewed up grassy areas abutting the sidewalk. Two of the cars that disappeared inside had been parked, but a third was being driven when the road buckled and caved in. Only the front-end of one of the vehicles could be seen peeking up along the edge of the chasm.
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* 2:56 pm - The House just approved Rep. Lou Lang’s HB1, the medical marijuana bill. The measure received 61 votes. The roll call is here.
Check the live coverage post for further information. There are some videos of the debate here. The Sun-Times has a quickie story online here. At this moment, a liberal Democratic concealed carry amendment is now up for debate. Watch it.
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Boston updates
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* CNN is reporting an arrest has been made in Boston, so let’s crank this up again. A press conference is expected in a few hours. [ADDING: As you know by now, the police are denying that an actual arrest has been made. Stay tuned.]
Blackberry users click here…
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Maybe you should follow your own advice, guv
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn held a press conference today to announce a six-year, $12.6 billion construction program for roads and bridges. Afterward Quinn took questions on ComEd, gaming expansion and medical marijuana, and talked about gay marriage.
He was also asked about Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is attempting to poach companies from Illinois…
“I know him. I could give you three reasons why he’s wrong, 1, 2 and 3. I was his roommate when we went to Iraq and Afghanistan. So, he’s a big talker and I think people saw that in the presidential campaign… We don’t need any advice from Gov. Perry.”
Full audio of the governor’s response…
* Right after he talked that trash about Gov. Perry, Quinn was asked how he interpreted the “gap” in fundraising between himself and Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Quinn’s response…
“I’m not going to get into political things. I said that the other day. I do want to say a few words about the people of Boston, the families who are grieving because they lost their family members. That young boy, Martin Richard, who lost his life. What a special soul he was. He was only given eight years by God on this earth, but he certainly made a difference. And I think all of Illinois, all of America, we’re with the people of Boston and the people who were at that race. So I think that’s the important thing to keep in mind right now. I went to the wake yesterday of Anne Smedinghoff. She’s being buried at this hour. She went to my high school and my brother taught her and my nephew went to school with her and she was a moderator of a debate that I was at.
“You know, these special young people, whether it’s Martin Richard from Massachusetts or Anne Smedinghoff from Illinois, we’re blessed to have them. And I think public safety is really what we should focus on in the aftermath of the events of Monday. I called my friend Gov. Deval Patrick, who was born and grew up in Illinois. I think he’s done an outstanding job. And I said that we’re more than ready in Illinois, we have some special experts who can help in any way. If they need them we’ll be there to help.”
Audio…
* Since he took personal shots at Rick Perry and talked about issues other than “public safety,” which he said “is really what we should focus on” this week, the Madigan question was not out of bounds and my initial reaction was that he didn’t have to dodge it by dragging in the bombing victims and Ms. Smedinghoff.
But, politics can most certainly be unseemly, and American political leaders ought to be focusing on national unity instead of divisions, especially with the revelations of ricin being sent to the President and two US Senators.
So, maybe Quinn should’ve just held his fire on Perry, too.
* Raw audio of Q&A…
* Related…
* Quinn ‘open minded’ to legalized medical marijuana: He told reporters Wednesday that he recently met with a veteran suffering from war wounds who was helped by the medical use of marijuana.
* Governor Quinn announces multi-year, $12.62 billion construction program
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Rare agreement on guns?
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Details matter, but this sure looks like a practical idea on guns…
Both sides of the gun-control debate could be headed for a rare agreement at the Statehouse on a push by Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart to get guns out of the hands of felons and the seriously mentally ill.
His plan would require gun owners to surrender their state-issued Firearm Owners Identification Cards within 48 hours of being notified they were ineligible to possess a gun because of being convicted of a felony or domestic violence or being judged mentally ill.
A top gun-rights advocate told the Chicago Sun-Times late Tuesday that his “intuition” was an agreement could be reached on the issue with gun-control supporters.
In Cook County, about 5,000 people have had their state gun permits revoked by the Illinois State Police, making them ineligible to buy weapons. But only about 1,000 have actually turned in the cards, leaving them able to buy ammunition at will, Dart’s office said.
Under the sheriff’s measure, those who had their permits taken away also would have to account for where their weapons would be maintained during the period of time their FOID cards were revoked.
* Meanwhile, John Schmidt defends onetime foe Attorney General Lisa Madigan on her refusal to say whether she’s appealing the appellate court ruling that declares Illinois’ public carry ban unconstitutional…
In December I wrote in these pages on why Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan should not appeal the federal appellate court decision throwing out Illinois’ total ban on concealed carry. The Supreme Court decision in the New York case strongly reinforces that conclusion.
The question is one of judicial tactics, not a test of commitment to gun control. A total ban is the least defensible concealed carry law. In his December decision, 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner said the Illinois ban failed any test of constitutional scrutiny. That conclusion is almost inescapable now that the Illinois total ban is unique in the nation and Illinois crime rates give no support to the argument that the ban has a positive impact in reducing violence.
The positive side of the Supreme Court’s New York decision is that limits on concealed carry may pass constitutional muster. New York’s law requires any gun applicant to show a “special need” for a concealed carry permit and gives the permitting authority to local officials who can respond to differing statewide needs and interests. We don’t know how the appellate court would come out on such a law. In his decision, Posner expressed some reservation about the New York court’s analysis, but he reached no conclusion on whether a New York-type law would be upheld here.
Illinois can now follow New York’s lead and come up with a new law that the General Assembly believes meets Illinois’ particular needs and circumstances. After the New York decision, any reasonably drafted law, short of a total ban, has a real chance of withstanding constitutional challenge.
* And the Tribune editorial board concurs with that last point…
So, let’s go. Illinois could live with a concealed-carry law that recognizes local needs and interests. Gov. Pat Quinn and other Democratic leaders have signaled support for that option. The gun lobby doesn’t like the New York template, but it would be interesting to watch pro-gun lawmakers defend a vote to defeat a bill that for the first time establishes concealed carry in Illinois.
The Illinois Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 31, nine days before the clock runs out on the appellate court’s grace period. That court could stay its ruling if Illinois appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. Attorney General Lisa Madigan is wise to delay a decision on whether to appeal until the Legislature acts or doesn’t act.
Bottom line, the wisest course for the Legislature is to act: Pass a “may-issue” concealed carry law that provides local control.
The NRA won’t see the irony. To them, “may carry” might as well be “no carry.” From an ISRA action alert…
URGENT ALERT – YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
GUN GRABBERS TRY TO HIJACK CONCEALED CARRY
YOU MUST MAKE PHONE CALLS IMMEDIATELY
Rabid gun grabber Rep. Kelly Cassidy has introduced amendments to HB0831 which hijack the court’s requirement to enact concealed carry and transform concealed carry into gun control.
IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ACT IMMEDIATELY TO HALT CASSIDY’S SCHEME.
Kelly’s vision of concealed carry is absolutely unacceptable to law-abiding citizens. Her proposal contains all sorts of impediments to self defense – the worst of which is that carry licenses would be issues on a “may issue” basis.
UNDER KELLY’S PROPOSAL, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONVINCE SOME POLITICAL HACK THAT YOUR LIFE IS WORTH DEFENDING.
That’s right, under Kelly Cassidy’s version of “concealed carry,” you would have to go down to your village hall and beg some civil servant for the right to defend yourself and your family from vicious street thugs. Of course, your chances of success will depend greatly on what you look like and how many checks you had written to your local sheriff’s reelection campaign committee.
* From the preamble in Rep. Cassidy’s bill…
The Seventh Circuit’s opinion in Moore favorably cited Kachalsky v. County of Westchester, 701 F.3d 81 (2d Cir. N.Y. 2012), a recent opinion of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld New York’s law restricting the carrying of firearms in public. New York’s law gives the local issuing authority considerable discretion in deciding whether to issue a license, and has been interpreted to require an applicant for an unrestricted license to demonstrate “a special need for self-protection distinguishable from that of the general community”. By favorably citing the Second Circuit’s opinion in Kachalsky, the Seventh Circuit in Moore indicated that it agreed that New York’s requirements are consistent with the Second Amendment.
* From the bill…
A sheriff or the [Chicago police superintendent] may submit a recommendation for approval of an application to the Department, if the applicant is an eligible individual under Section 20 who has sufficiently demonstrated, in the judgment of the sheriff or Superintendent, that:
(1) he or she has a particularized need for the license;
(2) he or she is a responsible person; and
(3) the issuance of a license is in the public’s interest.
“Particularized need” is defined in the proposal as meaning that the applicant is “exposed to unusual personal danger, distinct from other members of the community.”
Discuss.
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Off the top of my head
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This seems like a good idea…
A suburban lawmaker’s plan to let 17-year-olds vote in primary elections if they will turn 18 before the November election won preliminary approval Monday.
State Rep. Carol Sente’s plan would apply only to elections in even-numbered years, not local elections like the one earlier this month.
She argues that if young voters are going to vote in a November election, they should get a say in who the candidates are in the primary. […]
Illinois wouldn’t be alone if the state allowed 17-year-olds to vote in primaries. Twenty other states already do, and a couple others are weighing the idea.
I don’t see how it could hurt and it appears to make sense.
* I don’t necessarily agree with this…
There ought to be a law against your property tax bill increasing when the value of your home decreases. […]
I wrote about House Bill 89 last year. It would have amended the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), commonly known as the “tax cap,” to freeze the amount that a taxing district can raise its annual tax levy if the collective value of homes in the district has decreased during the previous year.
“In Illinois, more than 28 percent of homes were underwater as of Jan. 1, yet taxing bodies act as though they are victims and continue to ask for more every year,” Franks said in a statement. “In fact, homeowners are being victimized by an unfair and outdated system, and it is driving people out of the state.”
Property taxes aren’t like sales taxes. When sales drop, those tax receipts also drop. But property taxes are supposed to be a more stable revenue source, so if your home value drops, that doesn’t mean local governments and schools need less money. It’s the only “elastic” tax in existence, I think. But people are definitely struggling and the property tax is not based on the ability to pay. So, I’m kinda torn.
* While many people hate double-dipping, the General Assembly is supposed to be a part-time citizens legislature, so it takes all kinds. But I can see both sides of this one…
House Bill 3250, the Public Service Act, would place limits on the number of elected offices a person can hold.
It states that an elected official may not hold more than one public office simultaneously and specifies that the limitation applies whether or not elected officials receive compensation for a public office. […]
The Illinois attorney general’s office has issued opinions about certain public offices having a conflict of interest with others. But those are very narrowly defined, and the problem comes up often. […]
It concerns me that legislators have also held the post of township supervisor in the Southland.
State Rep. Robert Rita (D-Blue Island) is supervisor of Calumet Township and state Rep. Al Riley (D-Olympia Fields) is supervisor of Rich Township.
Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek is also a state senator. He replaced Lou Viverito in the Senate. Viverito is the longtime Stickney Township supervisor.
* The Illinois Policy Institute hates this bill, but a pause might be prudent while this concept is checked out a bit and regulations considered…
As local school boards rejected [last’] week a request from a proposed online charter school that would draw students from its schools, state lawmakers appear poised to slap a hold on the creation of virtual schools until regulations and guidelines to govern them can be crafted.
State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, introduced legislation Thursday to place a one-year moratorium on web-based virtual charter schools. […]
“This is the first time Illinois has ever seen anything like this,” Chapa LaVia said. “And I’m not willing to risk something that would be detrimental to our children and our schools.”
Chapa LaVia’s legislation has passed a state House committee, and is headed to the full chamber for a possible vote.
The legislation arose in response to a proposal from Illinois Virtual Learning Solutions to open the Illinois Virtual Charter School at Fox River Valley.
The online school was proposed to include students from 18 school districts in Kane, DeKalb, DuPage, Kendall, McHenry and Will counties, and would be funded by local district funds, estimated at up to $8,000 per student.
While the nonprofit Illinois Virtual Learning Solutions would govern the virtual school, it has said actual operations for the school would be handled by Virginia-based, for-profit company K12 Inc.
The virtual school concept is in place in other states, including Tennessee and Florida. But officials in those two states have raised questions over the virtual charter school operations, noting participating students’ low test scores, among other issues.
* Roundup…
* RTA claims companies running ’sham’ offices
* Proposal would keep 17-year-old felons in juvenile court
* House passes bill to ease juvenile court age limit
* Illinois House approves bill to keep more juveniles out of adult court
* Lawmakers Strengthen Child Pornography Prosecutions
* Illinois House approves fine for tossing cigarettes
* ComEd urges Quinn to sign bill to help smart meter project
* Does it matter if districts cover teacher pension contributions?
* Editorial: Tanning salons no place for teens
* Bahamas Foreign Affairs Minister remarks to Illinois House of Representatives: So against this background, we are looking at the possibility of appointing an Honorary Consul, with residence in Chicago, to assist with enhancing the bilateral relationship between our two peoples. We have asked a Chicagoan with Bahamian roots Michael Fountain if this is something he would consider and of course this is subject to your governmental approvals at the federal level. I seek your support in this. We think Mr. Fountain would do an excellent job.
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Your unsolicited advice
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Politico…
Republican Governors Association communications director Mike Schrimpf is leaving Washington to work for a likely candidate for Illinois governor.
The hire is a boost for Chicago private equity executive Bruce Rauner, who created an exploratory committee last month. […]
Republicans now control 30 governorships and the RGA views Illinois as probably its best pick-up opportunity next year. […]
“Bruce is an incredibly impressive and successful businessman, who cuts a great profile – a results-oriented reformer – for a potential gubernatorial candidate in Illinois,” Schrimpf told POLITICO in an email. “Illinois is in desperate need of reform and I believe it will take someone from outside Springfield to get the job done.”
It could be a “boost,” but, then again, Rauner has nobody on his staff who truly understands Illinois politics. This ain’t some parachute-in state.
* Bio…
Schrimpf has served at RGA since 2008. He previously served as Communications Director for the Center for Competitive Politics. He got his start working in Hamilton County government in Cincinnati, OH.
Schrimpf is a 2005 graduate of Tufts University.
Any advice for Mr. Schrimpf?
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Lite guv debate
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daily Herald editorial…
Three years ago, when the job of lieutenant governor was vacant, 13 candidates ran for the post. Clearly, it must have important duties and some power attached to it, right?
Wrong. Its allure is in what it potentially can lead to — the governor’s office, just as it did for the current governor, Pat Quinn, after Rod Blagojevich was impeached.
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And knowing who the successor will be in case a sitting governor can’t continue is an important issue. But line of succession doesn’t have to mean creating a governor-in-waiting position. That’s the message in what the Illinois House did last week and one that we support.
Rep. David McSweeney, a Barrington Hills Republican, sponsored a bill approved by the House that would eliminate the lieutenant governor position by 2019. It is estimated that the move will save the state about $1.8 million a year.
While that’s a small number compared with the entire state budget, it’s still significant in that it makes a statement that legislators are serious about cutting costs where they can. It’s a good first step in consolidating government and one that we hope leads to even more consolidation.
* I think Eric Zorn has an interessting idea on this matter. Don’t eliminate the office, just defund it…
Zero out the $1.8 million annual budget line for the state’s most conspicuous sinecure and render the position of governor-in-waiting wholly ceremonial. Like a beauty pageant runner up, the lieutenant governors will simply go about his or her life and remain ready to take over if, for any reason, there is a vacancy at the top.
Simply getting rid of the position isn’t a bad idea. The law spells out no formal duties for the so called “lite gov.” But if the state Senate and the voters go along with the constitutional-amendment route, the change won’t take effect until 2019.
And it will leave us with a potentially awkward line of succession in which the attorney general is next in line if the governor dies, becomes incapacitated or is impeached and removed from office.
If the attorney general were to be from a different party than the governor, the will of the voters about state leadership would be denied in the event of death or incapacitation. And impeachment proceedings would be infected by extra political considerations.
* Gov. Pat Quinn wants to keep the status quo…
“There are some issues that fall between the cracks, and somebody has to stand up for those issues,” he said, listing off an array of topics he addressed in the position including aid to families of military service members.
“I was lieutenant governor for six years, and I believe in that office, for sure,” he said.
Moreover, he cited his ability to take over immediately after Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment as a positive to having someone in the position.
“It’s good to have a backup quarterback,” he said.
However, the duties Quinn cited were mostly those that he chose for himself rather than those that are given to the lieutenant governor by constitution or statute.
* Finke…
The amendment is still a long way from getting on the ballot. The Senate must still approve the measure, and face it, when’s the last time something was on the ballot to eliminate a statewide office, despite numerous efforts? Try never.
This is not to say that Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is doing a poor job. On the contrary, she is doing more with the office than many of her predecessors. But it’s hard to overcome the stigma of a job where, over the years, two people have quit to find more fulfilling work.
Discuss.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I think this was his first bill…
Drivers would be allowed to legally go 70 mph on tollways and interstates in Illinois under a plan from state Sen. Jim Oberweis that won preliminary approval Tuesday.
Oberweis, a Sugar Grove Republican, told a Senate committee that people already drive that fast, so a faster speed limit would be more realistic.
“In my opinion, it’s not good to have laws on the books that are widely ignored,” Oberweis said. […]
[IDOT’s interim director of the Division of Traffic Safety John Webber] said the agency thinks average drivers now go between 5 and 10 mph over the limit on average, and he thinks people will just speed even more if the limit is raised to 70 mph.
Jim Edgar used to say that the speed limit was really a minimum for most drivers. That’s why he opposed raising the limit above 65 back then. If we’d made it 70, he said, people would start driving 75-80, which he maintained was way too fast.
Also, I hope Sen. Oberweis remembers his comment about it not being good to have laws on the books that are “widely ignored” when medical marijuana comes up for a vote.
* The Question: Should Illinois increase its interstate highway and tollway speed limits to 70 mph? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
web survey
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Fine lines
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m stealing Eric Zorn’s traditional headline because I’m also (again) posting one of his blog items. Zorn and I are both somewhere in the middle of the gun debate, and his piece is quite good. Some excerpts…
I also don’t understand how you can watch this video [of Logan Square store owner Luis Quizhpe], which became the subject of news stories worldwide, and argue that store owners such as Quizhpe are better off because of Chicago laws that prohibit store employees from carrying handguns. […]
I don’t understand why gun-rights advocates are so stubborn about mandatory background checks in most instances when firearms are sold or transferred. Yes, it can be a hassle. But it should be a hassle. We’re talking about passing around lethal weapons. It should always be harder to buy one than to buy a box of Sudafed. […]
I don’t understand why so many staunch gun-rights advocates are simultaneously paranoid about government power and vehement about the need to keep the U.S. military robustly funded. Swarthmore College political scientist Dominic Tierney labeled this paradox “the great gun gobbledygook ” in a recent essay at TheAtlantic.com and noted, “Conservatives say that a weaponized citizenry is a necessary shield against dictatorship. I’ll take the argument more seriously if conservatives stop arming this tyrant to the teeth.” […]
I don’t understand why gun-control advocates focus so much attention on “assault weapons” and limiting concealed-carry rights when by far the biggest problem we have with firearms comes from illegally obtained, unregistered handguns.
I don’t necessarily agree with everything in his piece, but I do agree with pretty much everything I’ve excerpted. And on his very last point, I couldn’t possibly agree more. Part of the problem, as I see it, is that liberal politicians just don’t know what to do about crime, so they fall back on time- and poll-tested “solutions” that won’t make a difference, but sound good to the masses.
His closing…
Finally, I don’t understand why an issue that’s so perfect for compromise — for people of good will to come together to craft ways to lower the rates of violence and protect the rights of law-abiding citizens — remains so intractable.
Discuss.
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About that “555-page bill”
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Eriz Zorn’s unsolicited advice to Gov. Pat Quinn…
Gaming Board chairman Aaron Jaffe said in a contentious Senate Executive Committee hearing last week that among his many problems with the current 555-page bill is that it could and should be far shorter — 30 pages or less.
Is he correct? Prove it. Give us that bill. Get a friendly lawmaker to introduce it for you. Put this issue behind us.
As with any legislation, most of the bill simply restates existing statutory language. You have to get to page 60-something before you even find anything new.
And, as with most legislation, there’s repeated language. The ban on campaign contributions by the gaming industry is repeated, for instance.
So, I copied all the new language, except for the repeated stuff on the campaign contribution ban, and pasted it into a text file, counted the words and divided by 270 (which is, more or less, about how many words are on a bill page as far as I can tell) and came up with 98.6 pages. [ADDING: Those first 60-some pages create a new entity, so add that to the total, which comes to160-something]. That’s more than 30, but certainly not 555 pages, a “fact” which is used mainly as a rhetorical device to undermine the bill by people like Jaffe, Gov. Quinn and the Tribune editorial board..
Also, Quinn doesn’t have any friendly lawmakers. He’s the first governor in forever who has no floor leaders. Besides, Quinn definitely does not want to “own” this issue by introducing a bill. He clearly wants any gaming expansion to be blamed on the General Assembly, not him.
* Speaking of which, here is my weekly syndicated newspaper column…
I’ve always believed that just because somebody claims to be a reformer, it doesn’t mean the person has the right solutions.
Many years ago, an activist named Pat Quinn came up with an idea to change the Illinois Constitution. He used the petition process to get rid of a third of Illinois House members in one fell swoop. This, Quinn said, would save money and make legislators more responsive to their constituents.
In reality, all that did was allow a guy named Michael Madigan to more easily consolidate his power. And one way he consolidated that power was by spending lots more money. Quinn’s plan backfired.
But even though this sort of thing has happened over and over again here, the media tends to give reformers a pass, almost no matter what.
So I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised when I read the major media’s news reports of last week’s Senate Executive Committee hearing. It wasn’t at all like the meeting I attended.
Admittedly, I arrived a little late and had to leave for a meeting before it was over, but from what I saw, Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Aaron Jaffe’s years-long criticism of the General Assembly’s gaming expansion bills was exposed as hollow and not entirely fact-based. He badly stumbled through his testimony, couldn’t directly answer questions and despite long-standing public criticisms, a notebook filled with thoughts and a history as a state legislator himself, Jaffe seemed woefully unprepared for the hearing.
For years, Chairman Jaffe has criticized various gaming expansion proposals, which has made him a media darling. He comes up with great quotes, once calling a gaming bill a “pile of garbage.”
But he’s never once said how the General Assembly ought to actually write the bills. Instead, he has relied on media-friendly criticisms of the way the legislature has gone about things.
It’s not like Jaffe is completely blameless here. The people drafting the gaming legislation clearly despise the man and never really attempted to work with him, or even listen to him.
But last week’s Senate meeting was designed to finally provide Jaffe with a public forum to offer up some concrete solutions. He didn’t have any.
Over and over, Senators in both parties pleaded with Jaffe to offer up some specifics for how to make the gaming bill more acceptable to him, and over and over Jaffe simply could not do so.
Instead, Jaffe stuck to generalities and catch phrases.
Jaffe said he hadn’t read the full bill, saying it was too long and claiming that a better bill might be just 25 pages long, without explaining how less language wouldn’t create gaping loopholes and without admitting that many of the pages in the 555-page bill are simply filled with current statutory language restated without any changes whatsoever. Jaffe declared that there were no ethical improvements in the recently revised legislation, even though the new bill would ban campaign contributions from gaming interests.
Jaffe even urged legislators to outright eliminate some state agencies because they were impeding his agency’s staff hiring - even though existing personnel regulations were inspired by decades of state corruption. He bitterly complained about the projects in the bill inserted to attract more votes, even though those projects have no direct bearing on the Gaming Board’s mission. He complained that the Chicago casino language wouldn’t allow the Board to determine whether the region was already too saturated with gaming, but then said he had no philosophical problem with a Chicago casino. His testimony was, in sum, an embarrassing mess by a man clearly past his prime, but the media covered for him, focusing mostly on a one-minute spat between Jaffe and the bill’s sponsor.
The only real progress came late in the hearing when Jaffe’s administrator Mark Ostrowski seemed to pull an idea out of thin air to delete the Chicago management agency’s language and give full responsibility for all operations to the private casino management company that the agency was supposed to choose. The manager, Ostrowski said, would be far easier to regulate than a municipal entity, which could fight bureaucratic battles through the courts. If the Senators were paying attention, they may have found a solution to finally get Jaffe off their backs.
* Related…
* Gaming board, lawmakers aim to overcome insults
* Erickson: Sides lining up on state gambling bill
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Subscribers know much more about this, but buried deep in Bernie’s Sunday column was a choice little nugget…
But [state Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon] still didn’t have a good idea where Rauner stands on social issues, which he said will be important in a primary to the GOP base. McCarter characterizes himself, for example, as being “as pro-life as you can get.”
The word later from Chip Englander, manager of Rauner’s exploratory effort: “Like (former Gov.) Jim Edgar and (U.S. Sen.) Mark Kirk, he is pro-choice.”
Earlier this month, Rauner dodged questions about whether he supported gay marriage by suggesting that Illinois hold a referendum, even though Illinois has no binding referenda provisions. Rauner described himself as a “social liberal” to Roll Call several years ago.
Whether related or not, Rauner’s campaign announced today that it had hired an official campaign spokesperson.
* The Question: Can Bruce Rauner win a Republican gubernatorial primary while being a “social liberal?” Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey hosting
Keep in mind when answering that Mark Kirk won a statewide primary just a few years ago even though he’s a pro-choice social liberal, but he didn’t have much by way of opposition. And Rauner is raising lots and lots of cash.
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The great pizza scandal of 2011
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Belleville News-Democrat…
The former head of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s regional office in Collinsville violated ethics rules by soliciting pizzas for an office party from a contractor, according to a report by the state’s top investigator.
Inspector General Ricardo Meza’s investigation determined that Mary Lamie violated the gift ban in the state’s ethics rules and recommended that she be disciplined. Lamie now works in the private sector.
Lamie, who worked for IDOT until at least March 2011, declined comment Monday. While at IDOT, she served as the engineer for District 8, which covers Madison, St. Clair and nine other counties in the area, as well as District 9, which covers 16 counties in Southern Illinois.
According to the inspector general’s report, during an interview with investigators Lamie admitted that she instructed an underling to solicit pizzas from an IDOT consultant for an office party for District 9, based in Carbondale.
Obviously, she shouldn’t have been soliciting $50 in pizza from a contractor. No defense there. But this is what the IG is concentrating on?
* Actually, the IG also issued another report on former Congressman David Phelps…
Phelps, hired [at IDOT] in 2003 after he lost re-election, was excoriated in the report, which included his inability to explain to Meza’s investigators what his work day entailed other than meeting with “lots of people.” Despite his title, the IDOT secretary at the time, Quinn appointee Gary Hannig, said Phelps was not part of the management team.
“It appears that Mr. Phelps does little work,” the report said. “This coupled with the … investigative findings, seemingly indicates that the primary actions which Mr. Phelps undertakes in an official capacity are those that constitute misconduct and abuse of his position.”
The report said Phelps, who made $128,000, acknowledged he met with job candidates, particularly for a 2009 summer hiring program, including those who had supported him in congressional campaigns. According to the report, he told employees doing the hiring whom he favored for jobs because he wanted to help “good people.”
Phelps countered that contrary to being unable to discuss his job in detail, he described how tried to bring accountability to the position, represented IDOT on the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, represented IDOT at events aimed at traffic safety, and submitted work schedules that IDOT secretaries approved. He disputed the report’s description of his intervention with job candidates and noted allegations that he improperly intervened came from witnesses whose names are redacted and whose testimony he had no chance to rebut.
“I talked to a lot of people about jobs,” Phelps said. “I helped direct them to the right information they could have so they’d have a better chance, but it’s not because of who they were. As soon as they went out the door, there might be somebody else talking about the same job.”
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Quinn still insisting on an immediate appeal
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Here we go again…
Gov. Pat Quinn and Attorney General Lisa Madigan both suggested Monday that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to turn down an appeal of New York’s tough gun law could boost Illinois lawmakers’ attempts to set strict limits on who gets to carry concealed weapons.
But the Democratic governor also used Monday’s Supreme Court move to escalate his call for Madigan to appeal to the high court a federal ruling that gives Illinois a deadline of early June to put in place a concealed weapons law.
“It would be helpful to … the people and the public safety of Illinois if that case (would) be reversed,” Quinn said.
* More…
The governor’s focus on guns while speaking with reporters afterwards ramped up pressure on the attorney general to appeal December’s federal appeals court ruling mandating concealed carry in Illinois to the U.S. Supreme Court. To date, Madigan hasn’t made her intentions known.
“I think the case was wrongly decided by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, and I would like to see that reversed, and the only way to do that is with an appeal,” Quinn said. “I hope the attorney general reconsiders that.”
Earlier, Madigan said the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Monday not to overturn New York’s highly restrictive concealed-carry law would “obviously influence our continuing review of the situation here in Illinois.” But she wouldn’t divulge whether she intends to appeal the federal appeals ruling mandating state lawmakers to craft a concealed-carry law in Illinois by early June.
* We’ve been over this before. The governor is clearly just trying to score some political points here. Madigan explains…
Madigan noted that even if she had filed an appeal to the Supreme Court the same day her request was denied [by the appellate court for en banc] in February, the case wouldn’t have been heard until later this year.
“(Whether I appeal or not) doesn’t have an impact … on the 180-day clock,” she said.
Because of this, she said she’s waiting to see a final bill before making a decision.
In other words, deciding to appeal now won’t speed up US Supreme Court review by a minute. And appealing before the General Assembly has a chance to work out a deal on concealed carry means her work could be mooted if a bill passes. Quinn knows this. But, hey, he’s mostly getting the media spin, so whatever. And I’ll bet it polls well.
* Raw audio of Gov. Quinn’s remarks to the media yesterday…
* Raw audio of Attorney General Madigan’s remarks to the media yesterday…
* Related…
* Lisa Madigan stays tight-lipped about a possible 2014 challenge to Quinn
* Quinn, Madigan talk housing, not politics
* Quinn and Madigan differ on guns, housing
* Madigan campaign funds are triple Quinn’s
* The money race for governor is already on
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Ives doubles down
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Back in January, the Chicago Tribune editorial page absolutely blasted state Rep. Tom Morrison for his pension reform vote…
Timid lawmakers reached hither and yon to find reasons for not supporting reform legislation: This proposal is too strong, that proposal is too weak, and so on — whatever it took to avoid decisive action.
Among the most maladroit: state Rep. Tom Morrison, a conservative Republican from Palatine, who ran for office on a platform of … pension reform. We endorsed Morrison wholeheartedly — and then he voted Monday in committee against the only serious, cost-cutting pension reform measure that had any momentum. He evidently thought it didn’t go far enough. In other words, pension reform champion Morrison had found his reason to oppose pension reform!
* Over the weekend, the Tribune considerably softened its rhetoric, but still urged Morrison and his sole co-sponsor, Rep. Jeanne Ives, to not make the perfect the enemy of the good…
In the House, divisions appeared in the Republican caucus. State Reps. Tom Morrison, R-Palatine, and Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, introduced a pension bill that would shift government workers into 401(k)-style plans and freeze the state’s defined benefit program going forward.
It’s a laudable idea advanced by the Illinois Policy Institute, a right-leaning think tank. The sponsors say it would cut almost in half the state’s $96.8 billion unfunded liability in the next fiscal year and save roughly $2 billion in spending.
But the two sponsors are waiting for … a third sponsor. They have garnered scant support, and they have created the risk that lawmakers will use this bill as an excuse to peel off of the consensus slowly building for the package proposed by Biss, Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, and House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego.
Remember your Voltaire: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
* Rep. Ives responded…
I greatly appreciate that the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, in their article, “On the Road to Nowhere,” recognized the merit of HB 3303, the pension reform plan put forth by Rep. Tom Morrison and me.
As one of the major daily newspapers in the state, your advocacy and influence is powerful. For that reason, I respectfully request that you, reconsidered your position on state pension reform from “Get Something (Anything) Done” to “Get the Right Thing Done – Create Real Reform in Illinois.”
If it is “the perfect” vs. “the good” then why advocate for the lesser, simply because it is more popular or has bigger names signed to it? Do not abandon your challenge to fix the pension system for the good of those in the system and tax-payers.
Advocate for the plan that remove us, as a citizenry, from the system that has played heavily into creating the economic tragedy in which we currently find ourselves.
As Military Historian, John Keegan states, “Soldiers, when committed to a task, can’t compromise. It’s unrelenting devotion to the standards of duty and courage, absolute loyalty to others, not letting the task go until it’s been done.”
Oy.
Rep. Ives is a freshman who obviously isn’t here to learn. She’s here to teach.
If she was here to learn, she’d already know the serious fiscal consequences of moving to a 401(k) system. No more employee pension contributions into a gigantic legacy system which still somehow has to be dealt with, and new state Social Security employer payments. [ADDING: As a commenter points out, Ives’ bill would not necessarily require SS payments.]
If she was here to learn, she’d already know the necessity of compromise in a legislative environment. Nobody ever gets everything they want, so eventually people have to work together to do what can be done to fix as many problems as possible.
Tea partiers like Rep. Ives like to talk a lot about strict adherence to the US Constitution. Well, there’s also an Illinois Constitution and Rep. Ives is sworn to uphold it. I don’t know of anybody who has ever come up with any sort of argument that switching everybody into a 401(k) program is in any way or form constitutional. [ADDING: OK, Sidley and Austin does, but this is still an outlier position.]
Also, you’re not a soldier, Rep. Ives. You’re a legislator. Big difference. To compare yourself to a soldier is not only silly, but also insulting to actual soldiers, many of whom put their very lives on the line every day in service to our country and our Constitution.
* Related…
* Chicago tax day Tea Party rally garners a smaller-than-expected crowd of a few hundred
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* Here we go again…
In the latest effort to pull businesses from other states, Rick Perry is taking aim at yet another Democratic state – Illinois.
In a modest advertising buy, Perry and the TexasOne, a group sponsored by corporations and chambers of commerce, are running an incendiary message.
The print ad in a Chicago business journal urges Illinois businesses to “get out while there’s still time,” likening their state to a “burning building on the verge of collapse.”
It ad says the state has unintentionally created an “environment designed for you to fail,” and then goes on to list Texas’ business-friendly attributes, including the lack of a state income tax, lower worker compensation taxes and a bigger workforce.
The Illinois Review has helpfully chimed in by posting a chart that purports to show the superiority of Texas to Illinois…
* I asked Gov. Pat Quinn’s office for a response to Gov. Perry. Here it is…
We’ve seen this rodeo before. And if previous, similar efforts by other Republican governors are any indication – these publicity stunts don’t work and they don’t change the fact that businesses are choosing Illinois all the time. In fact, [today], we will announce a global corporation is choosing Illinois for its North American headquarters, in part due to Governor Quinn’s Clean Water Initiative and work to make our state a global hub for water technology.
With our strong transportation network, diverse economy, vibrant manufacturing base and skilled workforce, Illinois is one of the best places to do business in the world. And when all state and local taxes are considered, Illinois has the fifth-lowest effective tax rate in the country, at 4.6%, according to a 2011 study by Ernst & Young LLP.
Under Gov. Quinn’s leadership, the state has become friendlier to employers. He’s done more than any other governor to restore fiscal stability after decades of mismanagement and give businesses the certainty they need to invest. His actions have included reducing the state’s discretionary spending to historic lows and cutting red tape for environmental permits. Gov. Quinn successfully overhauled the worker’s compensation system to save businesses billions of dollars and reduce insurance rates for Illinois companies by nine percent. And he has made international trade and foreign direct investment efforts a priority, taking several trade missions to help Illinois companies access more global markets and recruit international businesses to our state. Not to mention – Illinois is investing in its transportation system like no other state, with $44 billion in capital construction efforts well underway.
There is no doubt that when lawmakers pass pension reform and send a bill to the governor, Illinois’ economy and business climate will be further strengthened. That’s why we continue to focus on the hard but necessary reforms to restore fiscal stability to Illinois.
In addition - Spending taxpayer dollars on ads in hopes of poaching companies from Illinois isn’t an economic development strategy. (As the New York Times pointed out in its December 2012 article on Texas’ incentive practices, despite handing out more business incentives than any other state, Texas has the third-highest proportion of hourly jobs paying at or below minimum wage. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/us/winners-and-losers-in-texas.html?_r=0 )
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** The governor’s office has an addendum…
Aside from the fact that there is little to no evidence to show that these publicity stunts produce any results, here are the facts:
Illinois also has a more educated workforce and a more economically stable population.
· Percent of population that graduated high school: Illinois - 86.6%; Texas - 80.4%.
· Percent of population with bachelor’s degree or higher: Illinois -30.7%; Texas-26.1%
· Percent of population living below poverty level: Illinois-13.1%; Texas 17%
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Today’s quote
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Patton Oswalt on the Boston Marathon bombings…
I don’t know what’s going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths. But here’s what I DO know. If it’s one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. […]
This is a giant planet and we’re lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they’re pointed towards darkness.
But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We’d have eaten ourselves alive long ago,
….Adding… Continual live updates are here.
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* From a press release…
At a news conference Tuesday, April 16, a group of doctors will announce the support of nearly 250 Illinois physicians for allowing patients with serious illnesses to obtain and use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it. Specifically, the physicians have signed on to the following statement:
“Licensed medical practitioners should not be punished for recommending the medical use of marijuana to seriously ill people, and seriously ill people should not be subject to criminal sanctions for using marijuana if their medical professionals have told them that such use is likely to be beneficial.”
The Illinois House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on House Bill 1, which would make Illinois the 19th state to allow patients with certain conditions, such as cancer and multiple sclerosis, to use medical marijuana with recommendations from their physicians. It would also establish a network of state-regulated cultivation centers and dispensaries to provide marijuana to qualified patients.
“It should be up to physicians, not police and prosecutors, to decide whether medical marijuana is the right treatment for their patients,” said Dan Riffle, Deputy Director of Government Affairs with the Marijuana Policy Project. “Those who benefit from medical marijuana should be able to obtain it legally and safely. Our laws should promote the doctor-patient relationship, not the dealer-patient relationship.”
You can read the entire list of doctors by clicking here.
See anybody you know?
* Roundup of positive newspaper editorials from yesterday and today…
* Tribune: Medical pot for Illinois patients
* Rockford Register Star: Time to say yes to medical marijuana in Illinois
* Dispatch-Argus: Medical marijuana; why yes?
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Beneath Chicago’s streets lie gas mains that were put in place, in some cases, when horses and buggies were driving overhead. Since 1981, Peoples Gas has been replacing these outdated mains. So far, the utility has replaced about half of its 4,000 miles of old cast-iron and ductile mains with updated pipe.
While natural gas supplies are abundant and wholesale costs are low, we need to focus on investing in our natural gas distribution system by modernizing this aging gas infrastructure. In 2010 Peoples Gas developed a plan to accelerate the pace at which they upgrade their natural gas distribution network. Doing the work at a faster clip would save Illinoisans money in the long run. Why? Aging low-pressure mains require a higher level of risk management: more safety inspections, more leak repairs and more service outages. New polyethylene and steel pipes will reduce these risks, offer more reliable service, create new efficiencies in system operations and maintenance, and support modern, energy-efficient appliances that cannot operate on the low-pressure mains.
But the current regulatory framework discourages investment, as rate cases and appeals can take years and their outcomes are uncertain. The Natural Gas Modernization, Public Safety and Jobs Bill (SB 1665/HB 2414) will bring Illinois’ regulatory framework into the 21st century and will enable Peoples Gas to upgrade its natural gas infrastructure.
Members of the Illinois legislature: Vote YES on SB 1665/HB 2414. Click here to learn more: www.peoplesgasdelivery.com/legislation
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* From the unanimous 2004 Illinois Supreme court opinion Jorgensen v. Blagojevich…
In reaching this result, we acknowledge that substantial budgetary challenges currently confront the Governor and the General Assembly. The adverse economic conditions facing so many of our fellow citizens have taken an inevitable toll on the state’s treasury. Revenues are not keeping pace. Despite ongoing efforts by the Governor and legislature, shortfalls persist. […]
One thing we cannot do, however, is ignore the Constitution of Illinois. […]
No principle of law permits us to suspend constitutional requirements for economic reasons, no matter how compelling those reasons may seem.
The Court would have to completely reverse that reasoning to come to the conclusion that Illinois’ finances are so bad right now that the Constitution’s plain language on pensions must be ignored.
Stranger things have happened, but the Court reasoned itself into an extremely tight corner with that opinion.
* And this is from Senate Democratic chief legal counsel Eric Madiar’s analysis of the Constitutional Convention floor debate…
Delegate Kinney stated that the word “enforceable” was “meant to provide that the rights established shall be subject to judicial proceedings and can be enforced through court action.”
The word “impaired,” she stated, was “meant to imply and to intend that if a pension fund would be on the verge of default or imminent bankruptcy, a group action could be taken to show that these rights should be preserved.”
Prescient, eh?
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